Hornbeck favored by CPHA to lead city schools

The Citizens Planning and Housing Association of Baltimore has ranked former state school superintendent David W. Hornbeck as its top choice to head the city school system.

CPHA, a non-profit group involved with community issues, ranked Lillian Gonzalez, an assistant superintendent in Washington, as its second choice. Representatives from CPHA and other school and community organizations interviewed the five candidates for the superintendent's post on Friday and Saturday.

As part of the selection process, the school board asked the groups to submit their recommendations for the new superintendent by yesterday. CPHA announced its recommendations this week.

"Based on our criteria, Hornbeck and Gonzalez stand out above the other three," CPHA president Howard Majev said.

The other candidates are Patsy Baker Blackshear, an associate superintendent in Baltimore; Charles M. Bernardo, a former Montgomery County school chief; and Walter G. Amprey, an associate superintendent in Baltimore County.

The superintendent's job will become vacant on July 31 because the school board has decided not to renew the contract of the current superintendent, Richard Hunter. CPHA ranked the candidates based on their responses to questions about goals for the school system.

Majev said the community would have been better served had the selection process included more public input.